Privacy and data protection

Microsoft adds quantum-resistant encryption to Windows 11

Microsoft is rolling out quantum-resistant encryption algorithms in Windows 11 as part of its effort to prepare for the eventual arrival of quantum computers. The new cryptographic tools were announced at the BUILD 2025 conference and are now available in Insider Preview Build 27852 and higher.

These updates introduce post-quantum algorithms—ML-KEM and ML-DSA—into SymCrypt, Windows’ core cryptographic library.

The algorithms, formerly known as CRYSTALS-Kyber and CRYSTALS-Dilithium, were selected by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and are part of the agency’s recommended post-quantum cryptography (PQC) standards.

The algorithms have also been added to SymCrypt-OpenSSL, Microsoft’s open-source extension for integrating SymCrypt with OpenSSL. Developers can now access the algorithms via Microsoft’s Cryptography API: Next Generation (CNG), enabling early testing and migration.

Quantum computers, which are still in experimental stages, promise to outperform classical systems in solving problems like factoring large numbers—a cornerstone of traditional encryption methods like RSA and elliptic curve cryptography.

Experts warn that these legacy systems could be broken in the coming decades, potentially compromising the security of global communications, financial systems, and data infrastructure.

The new PQC algorithms are designed to resist quantum attacks, but they bring additional complexity. Their encryption keys are significantly larger than those used in current standards.

For now, NIST recommends using them alongside RSA or elliptic curve keys in hybrid configurations, to mitigate risks from undiscovered vulnerabilities.

The transition to quantum-safe encryption is expected to be one of the most complex in cybersecurity history. Developers will need to address compatibility issues, including ensuring software can handle longer key lengths without introducing system-breaking errors.

Microsoft’s early adoption is a step toward broader post-quantum readiness. Experts emphasize the importance of rigorous testing now, as the timeline for quantum threats remains uncertain.

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Microsoft and GitHub back Anthropic’s MCP

Microsoft and GitHub are officially joining the steering committee for MCP, a growing standard developed by Anthropic that connects AI models with data systems.

The announcement came during Microsoft’s Build 2025 event, highlighting a new phase of industry-wide backing for the protocol, which already has support from OpenAI and Google.

MCP allows developers to link AI systems with apps, business tools, and software environments using MCP servers and clients. Instead of AI models working in isolation, they can interact directly with sources like content repositories or app features to complete tasks and power tools like chatbots.

Microsoft plans to integrate MCP into its core platforms, including Azure and Windows 11. Soon, developers will be able to expose app functionalities, such as file access or Linux subsystems, as MCP servers, enabling AI models to use them securely.

GitHub and Microsoft are also contributing updates to the MCP standard itself, including a registry for server discovery and a new authorisation system to manage secure connections.

The broader goal is to let developers build smarter AI-powered applications by making it easier to plug into real-world data and tools, while maintaining strong control over access and privacy.

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Coinbase hit by cyber-attack with up to $400m losses

The largest cryptocurrency exchange in the US, Coinbase, revealed that a recent cyber-attack could cost between $180 million and $400 million. The attack compromised data from a small group of customers, including names, addresses, and emails, but login credentials and passwords remained secure.

Coinbase has promised to reimburse customers who were tricked into sending funds to the hackers.

Hackers bribed overseas contractors and employees in support roles to access internal systems. Coinbase immediately terminated those involved and refused to pay the $20 million ransom demand.

Instead, the company has offered a $20 million reward for information leading to the attackers’ capture and is cooperating with law enforcement agencies.

The breach was disclosed just before Coinbase’s planned entry into the S&P 500 index, marking a significant milestone for the crypto sector. Security remains a critical concern in the industry.

Earlier in 2025, the Bybit exchange suffered a $1.5 billion hack, adding to over $2.2 billion lost to crypto platform breaches this year alone.

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Pavel Durov rejects French request to block political channels

Telegram CEO Pavel Durov has alleged that France’s foreign intelligence agency attempted to pressure him. He claims they wanted him to ban Romanian conservative channels ahead of the 2025 presidential elections.

The meeting, framed as a counterterrorism effort, allegedly focused instead on geopolitical interests, including Romania, Moldova and Ukraine.

Durov claimed that French officials requested user IP logs and urged Telegram to block political voices under the pretext of tackling child exploitation content. He dismissed the request, stating that the agency’s actual goal was political interference rather than public safety.

France has firmly denied the allegations, insisting the talks focused solely on preventing online threats.

The dispute centres on concerns about election influence, particularly in Romania, where centrist Nicușor Dan recently defeated nationalist George Simion.

Durov, previously criticised over Telegram’s content, accused France of undermining democracy while claiming to protect it.

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UK research body hit by 5 million cyber attacks

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the country’s national funding body for science and research, has reported a staggering 5.4 million cyber attacks this year — a sixfold increase compared to the previous year.

According to data obtained through freedom of information requests, the majority of these threats were phishing attempts, with 236,400 designed to trick employees into revealing sensitive data. A further 11,200 were malware-based attacks, while the rest were identified as spam or malicious emails.

The scale of these incidents highlights the growing threat faced by both public and private sector institutions. Experts believe the rise of AI has enabled cybercriminals to launch more frequent and sophisticated attacks.

Rick Boyce, chief for technology at AND Digital, warned that the emergence of AI has introduced threats ‘at a pace we’ve never seen before’, calling for a move beyond traditional defences to stay ahead of evolving risks.

UKRI, which is sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, manages an annual budget of £8 billion, much of it invested in cutting-edge research.

A budget like this makes it an attractive target for cybercriminals and state-sponsored actors alike, particularly those looking to steal intellectual property or sabotage infrastructure. Security experts suggest the scale and nature of the attacks point to involvement from hostile nation states, with Russia a likely culprit.

Though UKRI cautioned that differing reporting periods may affect the accuracy of year-on-year comparisons, there is little doubt about the severity of the threat.

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has previously warned of Russia’s Unit 29155 targeting British government bodies and infrastructure for espionage and disruption.

With other notorious groups such as Fancy Bear and Sandworm also active, the cybersecurity landscape is becoming increasingly fraught.

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Ascension faces fresh data breach fallout

A major cybersecurity breach has struck Ascension, one of the largest nonprofit healthcare systems in the US, exposing the sensitive information of over 430,000 patients.

The incident began in December 2024, when Ascension discovered that patient data had been compromised through a former business partner’s software flaw.

The indirect breach allowed cybercriminals to siphon off a wide range of personal, medical and financial details — including Social Security numbers, diagnosis codes, hospital admission records and insurance data.

The breach adds to growing concerns over the healthcare industry’s vulnerability to cyberattacks. In 2024 alone, 1,160 healthcare-related data breaches were reported, affecting 305 million records — a sharp rise from the previous year.

Many institutions still treat cybersecurity as an afterthought instead of a core responsibility, despite handling highly valuable and sensitive data.

Ascension itself has been targeted multiple times, including a ransomware attack in May 2024 that disrupted services at dozens of hospitals and affected nearly 5.6 million individuals.

Ascension has since filed notices with regulators and is offering two years of identity monitoring to those impacted. However, critics argue this response is inadequate and reflects a broader pattern of negligence across the sector.

The company has not named the third-party vendor responsible, but experts believe the incident may be tied to a larger ransomware campaign that exploited flaws in widely used file-transfer software.

Rather than treating such incidents as isolated, experts warn that these breaches highlight systemic flaws in healthcare’s digital infrastructure. As criminals grow more sophisticated and vendors remain vulnerable, patients bear the consequences.

Until healthcare providers prioritise cybersecurity instead of cutting corners, breaches like this are likely to become even more common — and more damaging.

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Chicago Sun-Times under fire for fake summer guide

The Chicago Sun-Times has come under scrutiny after its 18 May issue featured a summer guide riddled with fake books, quotes, and experts, many of which appear to have been generated by AI.

Among genuine titles like Call Me By Your Name, readers encountered fictional works wrongly attributed to real authors, such as Min Jin Lee and Rebecca Makkai. The guide also cited individuals who do not appear to exist, including a professor at the University of Colorado and a food anthropologist at Cornell.

Although the guide carried the Sun-Times logo, the newspaper claims it wasn’t written or approved by its editorial team. It stated that the section had been licensed from a national content partner, reportedly Hearst, and is now being removed from digital editions.

Victor Lim, the senior director of audience development, said the paper is investigating how the content was published and is working to update policies to ensure third-party material aligns with newsroom standards.

Several stories in the guide lack bylines or feature names linked to questionable content. Marco Buscaglia, credited for one piece, admitted to using AI ‘for background’ but failed to verify the sources this time, calling the oversight ‘completely embarrassing.’

The incident echoes similar controversies at other media outlets where AI-generated material has been presented alongside legitimate reporting. Even when such content originates from third-party providers, the blurred line between verified journalism and fabricated stories continues to erode reader trust.

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Legal aid data breach affects UK applicants

The UK Ministry of Justice has confirmed a serious cyber-attack on its Legal Aid Agency, first detected on 23 April and revealed to be more extensive on 16 May. Investigators found that a wide range of personal details belonging to applicants dating back to 2010 were accessed.

The breach has prompted urgent security reviews and cooperation with the National Cyber Security Centre. Stolen information may include names, addresses, dates of birth, national ID numbers, criminal histories, employment records and financial data such as debts and contributions.

While the total number of affected individuals remains unconfirmed, publicly available figures suggest hundreds of thousands of applications across the last year alone. Victims have been urged to monitor for suspicious communications and to change passwords promptly.

UK Legal aid services have been taken offline as contingency measures are put in place to maintain support for vulnerable users. Jane Harbottle, CEO of the Legal Aid Agency, expressed regret over the incident and reassured applicants that efforts are underway to restore secure access.

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Criminals exploit weak mail security in new fraud surge

Check washing fraud is making a worrying comeback in the US, fuelled by both AI-powered identity theft and lax mail security. Criminals are intercepting posted cheques, erasing original details using chemicals, and rewriting them for higher amounts or different recipients.

The rise in such fraud, often unnoticed until the money is long gone, is prompting experts to warn the public to take immediate preventative steps. Reports show a sharp increase in cheque-related scams, with US financial institutions flagging over 665,000 suspicious cases in 2023 alone.

Organised crime groups are now blending traditional cheque theft with modern techniques, such as AI-generated identities and forged digital images. The fraudsters are also using mobile deposits, phishing emails, and business email compromise to trick individuals and companies into transferring funds.

For added protection, individuals and businesses are advised to invest in fraud monitoring, use cheques with security features, and report any suspicious activity without delay. With losses running into hundreds of millions, the growing threat of cheque washing shows no signs of slowing down.

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Netherlands expands espionage laws to include cyber activities

The Dutch government has adopted new legislation expanding the scope of its espionage laws to include digital espionage and other activities carried out on behalf of foreign states that may harm Dutch national interests. The updated law complements existing provisions that criminalise the disclosure of state secrets by adding penalties for leaking sensitive, but not classified, information and for conducting harmful activities linked to foreign entities.

Under the revised legal framework, penalties for computer-related offenses associated with espionage have been increased. Individuals found guilty of such offenses could face up to eight years in prison, or up to twelve years in particularly severe cases.

Netherlands Justice and Security Minister David van Weel stated that the measures aim to enhance national resilience against foreign threats.

In parallel, the government is moving forward with plans to implement vetting procedures for researchers and students seeking access to sensitive technologies at Dutch academic institutions. This follows growing concern over foreign interest in strategic research, particularly from China, as noted by Dutch intelligence services.

In recent assessments, Dutch authorities have reported both Chinese cyber activities targeting intellectual property and Russian state-linked attempts to disrupt national infrastructure. Incidents include reported efforts to infiltrate institutions based in The Hague, such as the International Criminal Court and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.

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